John Rheinecker

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #27 prospect in 2006
  Rheinecker ranked No. 2 on this list entering 2003, but his command and consistency have slipped since. He seemed to be getting back on track in Triple-A last year, going at least seven innings while allowing no more than two earned runs in six of his seven starts. But then he came down with a mysterious finger injury that prevented him from pitching again in 2005. An irritation in the second joint of his left middle finger on his throwing hand originally was expected to cost him just a few weeks, but the pain never subsided. Even at the end of the season, Rheinecker was unable to even grip a baseball. He began testing the finger on a very light throwing program in instructional league, but it still bothered him, albeit to a lesser extent. At his best, Rheinecker is a crafty lefthander with good stuff. He gets plenty of movement on an 88-90 mph fastball and mixes in a cutter, a sharp-breaking slider and a usable changeup. He usually throws strikes, though he can be around the zone too much and very hittable because his stuff isn't overpowering. The A's hope he'll be fully healed by spring training and able to build on his early 2005 success when he returns to Triple-A.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #21 prospect in 2005
  Rheinecker's prospect status has dimmed considerably since he ranked No. 2 on this list entering 2003. He has yet to find consistent success at the higher levels, as hitters have lit him up for a .298 average and 36 homers over the last two seasons. His control also regressed in 2004. Rheinecker has good stuff for a lefty, with an 87-90 mph fastball, a plus slider and a decent changeup. He added a cutter last year and showed good progress with it as the season wore on. He can be maddening to watch, as Rheinecker will look ready for the big leagues one inning and deserving of a demotion the next. The A's don't see converting him into a reliever because of his lack of a dominating lefty-on-lefty pitch, as well as the organizational shortage of southpaws. Rheinecker will return to Triple-A to begin the season.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #13 prospect in 2004
  Rheinecker ranked No. 2 on this list behind Rich Harden a year ago, and he won 11 games while reaching Triple-A in 2003. Yet his stock has slipped significantly. He allowed a minor league-high 233 hits in 180 innings, raising questions as to whether he can miss enough bats to be an effective big league starter. Rheinecker is a good battler who often fights his way out of trouble. When he commands his 88-89 fastball, he can dominate games, but he doesn't do that often enough. While he doesn't beat himself with walks, he leaves his pitches up in the strike zone too often. His slider is his best pitch, and he also uses a cutter and changeup. Like many of Oakland's top pitching prospects, Rheinecker is a fine athlete who was a two-way player in college. He would have been an early pick in the 2000 draft if he hadn't torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing the outfield. He'll pitch out of the Triple-A rotation in 2004, trying to improve his pitch sequencing and his ability to work down in the zone.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #2 prospect in 2003
  Rheinecker spent his first two college seasons at Belleville Area (Ill.) CC, throwing in the high 80s and playing in the outfield. When he moved to Southwest Missouri State, he developed a quality slider and added velocity as he matured. Projected as an early pick in the 2000 draft, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in an outfield collision. He made a full recovery as a senior. As a lefthander with a fastball that touches 91 mph and plus breaking stuff (he throws a curveball to go with his slider), Rheinecker excites the A's. He's refining a cutter that has been effective against righthanders and is an exceptional competitor on the mound. Rheinecker has a tendency to leave the ball up in the strike zone, making him too hittable at times. He must improve his changeup. He's still learning pitch sequences to set up batters. Reducing his pitch counts is another point of emphasis. The A's believe Rheinecker has the potential to emerge as a frontline big league starter, perhaps as early as 2004. He'll pitch in Triple-A in 2003, working on keeping his fastballs at the knees.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #12 prospect in 2002
  Rheinecker would have been a high pick in the 2000 draft, but he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while playing the outfield for Southwest Missouri State. He returned for his senior season and improved to the point where the A's probably wouldn't have gotten him with a supplemental first-rounder last June if he hadn't had some forearm tenderness late in the college season. Former scouting director Grady Fuson said Rheinecker was a priority pick for the A's, who had monitored him closely during his college career. He has very good stuff for a lefthander, with a lively 90-mph fastball and quality breaking pitches (both curveball and slider) that he can throw to both sides of the plate. He's a tough competitor who battles for every out, and his main need is to improve his command. He'll spend this year in high Class A.